Stellantis, the automotive giant behind brands such as Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, and Dodge, has entered into a strategic partnership with the U.K.-based startup Wayve to integrate advanced autonomous driving software into its vehicle lineup. The collaboration, announced during an investor event at the company’s North American headquarters, aims to bring hands-free driving capabilities to the market by 2028. This deal marks a significant milestone for Wayve, following a successful $1.2 billion Series D funding round that drew support from major industry players including Nissan, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber.

Wayve’s approach to autonomous driving distinguishes itself through a hardware-agnostic, end-to-end neural network. Unlike traditional systems that rely heavily on specific high-definition maps or proprietary sensor suites, Wayve’s software is designed to adapt to the existing sensor configurations and computing hardware already present in a manufacturer’s vehicles. This flexibility is a key selling point for automakers looking to implement sophisticated AI-driven features without the prohibitive costs associated with specialized hardware overhauls.

While the specific financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, the partnership is intended to scale across the diverse range of vehicles offered by Stellantis. The automaker is currently executing a $70 billion turnaround strategy that includes the launch of 11 new vehicles in North America by 2030, with a focus on affordability. Wayve’s technology is expected to support both hands-off assisted driving systems, similar to current industry-leading supervised driving platforms, and future iterations designed for fully driverless operation. Prototype testing has already demonstrated the system’s ability to integrate rapidly, with engineers successfully deploying the AI model into a test vehicle in a matter of weeks.